Leadership

LEADERSHIP TEAM

Barry

Senior Pastor, Myanmar Mission,
Prayer Meeting Teacher

MDiv Baptist Bible Seminary, PA
B.P.S. – S.U.N.Y. College of Technology
A.A.S. Onondaga Community College

Email Barry
989.775.7101 ext. 109

Barry and a team planted what has become Grace Church 22 years ago. He and his wife Suzanne are originally from Syracuse, New York.  He has committed his life to doing whatever he, his family, and Grace Church can do to make disciples of Jesus while fulfilling Jesus’ Great Commission.

Barry enjoys reading Scripture, prayer and studying the culture (including sports, politics, history) and its ramifications upon the life of the Christ-follower, the church. He enjoys working out and learning whatever he can about living a healthy lifestyle.

Jason

Associate Pastor, Communications Director, Facilities, Production, Elder, Prayer Meeting Teacher

A proud graduate of Mount Pleasant High School; President – Campus Religious Leaders’ Association at Central Michigan University; Board of Directors – Mt. Pleasant Habitat for Humanity

Email Jason
989.775.7101 ext. 101

Jason first starting attending Grace Church as a senior at Mt. Pleasant high school. He met his wife Ashley while serving at Grace and together have been married for seventeen years.

Jason started serving with our Construction Ministry in 2001 and participated in a summer internship the following summer. He oversees our construction and production ministries, helps manage church finances, coordinates apprenticeships and is a part of our team of Elders. He also teaches at Cripplegate Prayer meetings.

Ryan

Associate Pastor, Children’s Ministry Director, Elder, Prayer Meeting Teacher

B.S. Education, Central Michigan University
Literacy Coach, Fancher Elementary

Email Ryan

Ryan has been attending Grace Church since 2000. He and his wife Betsy have been married 19 years. Ryan has worked for Mt. Pleasant Public Schools for 17 years, spending most of that time as a 2nd Grade Teacher full time. He currently works at Fancher Elementary as a part-time Literacy Coach.

Ryan started serving in our Children’s Ministry shortly after coming to Grace Church and he oversees our Children’s Ministry still today. He is also part of our team of Elders, teaches at the Cripplegate Prayer meetings, and assists with many others aspects of ministry at Grace.

Phil

Associate Pastor – Worship & Media, Elder, Twelve17 Coffee Roasters,
Prayer Meeting Teacher

B.S. Community Development, Central Michigan University, Associate Director of Learning Media Production, CMU’s Office of Curriculum and Instructional Support

Email Phil

Phil served on staff at Grace Church for 10 years, and has been at CMU full-time for 10 years. He’s married to Melissa, his beautiful wife of 19 years.

Phil has been playing guitar for 25 years and writing songs for most of that time as well. He’s also observed the coffee production process first-hand from farm to cup as a part of the leadership team of Twelve17 Coffee Roasters.

Suzanne

Women’s Ministry Leader, Myanmar Mission

B.S. Nursing, Central Michigan University, Bible Degree, Baptist Bible College, PA
Registered Nurse

Email Suzanne

Suzanne has been serving at Grace since its beginnings. She is Pastor Barry’s wife and they’ve been married for 30 years. Her primary ministry focus is leading women to the feet of Christ through coordinating women’s prayer meetings, Bible studies, and retreats. In addition to leading, loving, and serving the women of Grace, Suzanne also helps with discipleship and leadership development.

Suzanne loves reading, studying the Bible, and running.

Dan

Director – Upper Children’s Ministry,
Prayer Meeting Teacher

B.F.A. Theatre Design & Technology, Coordinator for Risk Management and Environmental Health & Safety, CMU’s Office of Risk Management

Email Dan

As the son of Scott Koefoed, one of the founding pastors, Dan Koefoed has been part of Grace Church since the very beginning. He started by serving on the Production Team which led him into his current vocation. Currently, Dan serves in Children’s Ministry.

Dan and his wife Bethany have 3 boys who love to wrestle and a sweet little girl. He is passionate about seeing people come to know Christ and realize their full potential as children of God through the local church.

Betsy

LIl’ Church (Pre-K & Kindergarten) Leader, Women’s Ministry, Deaconess

Studied Dietetics at Central Michigan University

Email Betsy

Betsy has been a volunteer at Grace since 2001. Following eight years on the Hospitality team, she now serves kids and families in Children’s Ministry. Betsy enjoys teaching and praying over our four and five year olds in Lil Church. She also loves to use her gifts to bring a team of women together and plan for Women’s Ministry events throughout the year.

Her favorite activity is getting outside to run, no matter the season.

John

Twelve17 Coffee Roasters Manager, Prayer Meeting Teacher, Small Group Leader, Deacon

Employed at Red Lobster

Email John
989.775.7101 ext. 106

John has served in many ministry roles since the church was started, including Cleaning, Video, Production, Music, Construction and most everything in between. Since its beginnings in 2012, John has helped lead our Twelve17 Coffee Roasters ministry. He also teaches at the Friday morning Cripplegate prayer meetings and leads the children’s physical education and Bible teaching segments at Moms-in-Ministry

Stefanie

Nursery (Infants & 1 Year Olds) Leader, Women’s Ministry, Deaconess

B.S. Business Administration, Central Michigan University, Women’s Track & Cross Country Coach at Beal City High School

Email Stef

Stefanie has been attending Grace Church since late 1998.  She and her husband Brian have been married for 19 years, and have been blessed with six awesome children. She has homeschooled each of their children through the 6th grade thus far; currently three of their children attend Beal City school. Stefanie enjoys serving as an assistant cross country and track coach in Beal City.

She started serving on the Hospitality Team many years ago, but has been serving in Children’s Ministry now for over 12 years. She currently leads a Sunday team, serving babies, one-year-olds and their families. Stefanie is also involved in Women’s Ministry at Grace and is currently serving as a deaconess.

Bethany

Kidz Church (3rd & 4th Grade) Leader, Women’s Ministry, Deaconess

B.S. Education, Central Michigan University

Email Bethany

Bethany is a CMU grad and was a local elementary school teacher before deciding to stay home with her own 4 children. She and Dan have been married for 11 years. She is blessed to do two of her most favorite things everyday… be home with her family and teach children! 

 

She has been attending Grace Church for 17 years and has served in different roles for many age groups in our Children’s Ministry. She is currently a volunteer on the KC2 team with 3rd and 4th graders at Grace. She loves to share the gospel with others and is always looking for opportunities to tell others the good news of Jesus and share what he has done in her life. 

Chad

Lil’ Church (Pre-K & Kindergarten) Leader, Prayer Meeting Teacher, Small Group Leader, Deacon

B.S. Education, Central Michigan University, Employed at The Wildlife Gallery

Email Chad

Chad has been married to his wife Kim for 20 years and they have four children. Chad has been coming to Grace Church since around 1998. 

He has called Grace Church “home” for over 20 years, and he has served in Children’s Ministry, Construction, and a whole host of different projects and outreach events throughout the years. 

Ashley

Totz Church (2 & 3 Year Olds) Leader, Women’s Ministry, Small Group Leader, Deaconess

B.A.A. Art and a minor in Interpersonal Communication, Central Michigan University

Email Ashley

Ashley has been coming to Grace since our first year Anniversary Service in 1999.  She and her husband Jason recently celebrated their 18th wedding anniversary.  She previously worked in the Reference Department at CMU but has enjoyed spending the last decade and a half at home parenting and homeschooling her six children.
 
Ashley has served in Children’s Ministry from the very beginning. She spent the first ten years working with the older elementary students and the last eleven years and counting leading a team who have the joy of working with toddlers.  She has also serves on the women’s retreat planning team and has taught at some of the women’s prayer meetings and retreats.

Brian

Kids Church (3rd & 4th Grade) Teacher and Leader, Prayer Meeting Teacher, Deacon

Bachelors in Sports Medicine, Minor in Exercise Science, Doctorate in Physical Therapy, Manager of Rehab Services for the Central Region and Gladwin, Mid-Michigan Medical Center

Email Brian

Brian has been attending Grace Church Since 1998. He has been married to the love of his life, Stefanie, for almost 20 years. Brian is a physical therapist and athletic trainer who has worked for MidMichigan Health for 18 years and is currently the supervisor of Rehab services at MidMichigan Medical Center in Mt. Pleasant. Brian has been a coach in the Beal City community for a variety of sports and has recently begun serving at the board chair for Habitat for Humanity of Isabella county.
Brian began serving in the church shortly after coming to faith and has served in many capacities such as moving the stage and building the baptismal every Sunday, as well as serving on graphics and student ministries. Brian now serves in the our Children’s Ministry as a teacher and leader for our 3rd-4th graders.

Kim

Kidz Church (1st & 2nd Grade) Teacher and Leader, Children’s Ministry Worship Leader, Women’s Ministry, Small Group Leader, Deaconess

B.S. in Biology with Secondary Ed certification, Iowa State University, Biology Teacher for local homeschoolers

Email Kim

Kim has been attending Grace Church since 2001 when she and her husband, Keith, moved to Mt. Pleasant from Iowa. They have been married for 19 years.  Kim spent a year subbing in area schools and working as a staff member at Grace prior to staying home to raise and educate their four children.  She has also enjoyed teaching science classes to a group of middle and high school students at Grace and being an assistant cross-country coach for the Central Michigan Homeschool cross country team. Kim has served and led in the Cleaning, Hospitality, and International Ministries over the years. She has been a part of our Children’s Ministry since 2011, where she currently serves a leader, teacher, and worship leader for our 1st and 2nd graders.

Megan

five6 (5th & 6th Grade) Teacher and Leader, Worship Leader, Women’s Ministry, Small Group Leader, Deaconess

B.S. in History and Social Sciences, Central Michigan University

Email Megan

Megan has been attending Grace Church since 2003. She grew up just west of Grand Rapids and has a special place in her heart for the Lake Michigan coast. She has been married to her husband, Jon, for 12 years and they have three kids. Together they enjoy biking, camping and playing games. 

Megan first began serving at Grace Church on the Worship Team. She then helped out with Student Ministries and eventually got plugged into Children’s Ministry, where she currently leads a weekend team in five6 and helps out with worship. More recently, she has reunited with the Worship Team and serves with them as well. Megan has also had the privilege of helping to plan several Women’s Retreats and is always up for having fun!